Effects of eccentric control exercise for wrist extensor and shoulder stabilization exercise on the pain and functions of tennis elbow.
Ju-Hyun Lee, Tae-Ho Kim, Kyu-Bong Lim
PMID 29706713WHAT IT FOUND
Both shoulder stabilization and wrist eccentric exercises reduced pain and improved grip strength in tennis elbow patients.
Shoulder exercises produced significantly greater increases in grip strength and upper trapezius pain thresholds, suggesting scapular control may offer superior functional gains.
Key findings
01Both intervention groups showed a significant decrease in pain levels and a significant increase in grip strength and tenderness thresholds after three weeks.
02The shoulder stabilization exercise group demonstrated significantly greater increases in grip strength and upper trapezius tenderness thresholds compared to the wrist eccentric exercise group.
03There were no significant differences between the groups regarding overall pain levels or lateral epicondyle tenderness thresholds.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study had a very small sample size (n=18), which limits the generalizability of the findings. The follow-up period was short (three weeks), so long-term effects are unknown. Both groups received identical baseline conservative treatments, which may have masked specific differences in pain reduction. The study did not report blinding of participants or assessors, which could introduce bias in self-reported pain measures.
Declared interests
None declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that shoulder exercises are superior for pain relief. The study found no significant difference in pain reduction between the two groups; the advantage was limited to grip strength and upper trapezius tenderness thresholds.